Existance of mechanical devices for exercising the human body are well known. In most cases the exercise device is attached to the floor, or some other structural member, in order to provide stability or a mechanical advantage in lever form. This attachment to the floor is most widely used in exercising the large muscles, such as arms, legs, back, etc.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that directly read on the claims of the instant invention. However, the following U.S. Patents are considered to be relevant.
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Issued ______________________________________ 4,319,747 Rogers Mar. 16, 1982 4,023,796 Kusmer May 17, 1977 3,567,219 Foster Mar. 2, 1971 2,356,260 Maxwell Aug. 2, 1944 2,261,173 Maxwell Nov. 4, 1941 ______________________________________
A portable device is taught by Kusmer which employs the principle of isotonic in conjunction with isometric exercise. This apparatus utilizes compression springs and a lever stopping member to control over travel when the levers pass dead center reaching their maximum value.
Other prior art utilizing rigid floor mounted structure include a U.S. Patent issued to Rogers, in which weights are suspended and a cam arrangement is utilized lifting the dead weight creating the resistance for arm exercise. Also, multi-purpose body exercising apparatus is included, using a bench for the base to which other structure is added for different resistive events.
Maxwell in U.S. Pat. No. 2,261,173 teaches a set of spring loaded swingable bars grasped by the hands of a user, which is in turn, mounted on a wall or other rigid structure. Adjustment in compression is made by changing the arcuate position of a tension spring, and a slideable body on a pair of rods allow vertical adjustment.
A pair of radially extended allochirally-related flexible arms are disclosed by Foster. The arms are adjustably positioned on a transversely-extended plate secured to a horizontal base located on the floor. These flexible arms are made of steel and extend parallel to the surface of the base having a series of holes. The hole attachment provides the relation of the length of extension creating the adjustment for resistance offered to a person employing the device.
Finally, Maxwell, in a later issued U.S. Pat. No. 2,356,260, takes advantage of a pair of parallel bars, spring loaded at the axis, that are attached to a mounting plate adapted to be applied to a wall or other vertical support in a removable manner. Rotation of the bars in the mounting plate allow different forms of linear thrust to be accomplished by the user to develop chest, back, neck, and shoulder muscles.
It will be noted that prior art includes springs in tension, mostly utilizing a stationary base, or mounting surface, and combinations of gears and cams to accomplish the resistive utility.